Analogue

Article

Wilshere slowly finding his feet

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere admits he is still short of his best form, despite making an impressive return from a lengthy injury lay-off.

The England international has been absent from first-team action for 17 months but has been slowly reintroduced by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger in recent weeks.

And the 20-year-old is confident that he can continue to improve on his encouraging start to life back in the Premier League.

"I am playing at maybe 90 percent," Wilshere said. "I am not sure. Every game that goes by I feel better fitness-wise.

"When I get up to 100 percent I will really show what I can do.

"It is a new experience - my first injury. I did not know what to expect. I spoke to a few players who have had long-term injuries.

"They said you will come back and have a good game and you think, 'I am back', then you will have another game and you are not so good.

"I think my adrenalin got me through the first few games, which is why I was so up for it. Then you start to realise it is not as simple as that and things start catching up with you. Then you start to get back to your best.

"It is a new team from when I played before. It will take time and the more games we play together the better we will get."

The north London club have endured a mixed start to the season and are currently languishing in eighth place in the Premier League.

But Wilshere believes calls for manager Wenger to step aside are misplaced and has given his full backing to the Frenchman.

"It was a tough week," Wilshere said. "Especially after losing to Swansea - we were all devastated.

"We wanted to make things right and the boss wanted to rest some players for Tuesday, so we could not do it then. It worked.